New Smith & Wesson 929: 8-Shot 9mm Revolver

Smith & Wesson posted an introductory video for the new model 929 revolver on YouTube. The new S&W 929 is a full size revolver chambered for the 9mm cartridge.

The new 929 revolver is a product of the Smith & Wesson Performance Center, and it appears to be built for competition. The gun holds eight rounds in the titanium cylinder and will likely use full moon clips like most of the other rimless cartridge revolvers the company has made.

Barrel length is 6.5″ long and is ported. A glass bead finish is standard.

The 929 is not the first 9mm revolver made by Smith & Wesson. I doubt it will be the last either. Prior models include the model 940, a Centennial model that held five rounds and could be had with a 1.5″, 2″ or 3″ barrel. An Airweight version of the gun, the 942, was prototyped, but never produced. (More on the 942 can be found in the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson.)

I believe this is the first Smith & Wesson revolver to used the 929 model number. Some of the revolver model numbers have been recycled over the years, but I did not find any prior reference to it in my reference literature. If you know of another 929 model, please let me know in the comments section below.

Update

Smith & Wesson official announced the 929, providing some additional information. The following is a better photo of the model 929 and the specifications given. Also, the company announced the addition of a second 9mm revolver: the model 986 Pro Series.

Features:

removable compensator

cylinder cut for moon clips

chrome trigger and hammer

hand-tuned action

Smith & Wesson 929 Revolver Specifications

caliber

9mm

capacity

8 rounds

barrel length

6.5"

overall length

12.25"

weight (unloaded)

44.2 oz

About Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson is a gun writer, police trainer and really bad joke teller. Check out his other writing in Combat Handguns, Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement, on The Firearm Blog and at BlueSheepdog.

Jon B.

A definite must-have for revolver collectors out there. Smith & Wesson has done it again! Thanks for sharing the video.

Hank

I recall having an old Ruger Single Six .357 magnum that came with a spare 9mm cylinder. It was that gun that started my love affair with the 9mm because I could hardly detect any difference in the recoil between the two rds.

I think many folks who dismiss the 9mm as being weak have never fired it in a fixed breach gun. Semi-autos absorb much of the recoil.

I owned a couple S&W Model 547 revolvers (6 shot 9mm K frame) and still have a 940

LOUIS MALTA

Which is more valuable
The 547 or the 940?

Mike R

Why? why not build a dedicated frame to eliminate that horrible looking gap?
Does S&W just build any revolver that comes to mind, without any design or aesthetics consideration?

Andrew K

you’re right I think the horrible looking gap is strange too. also, who needs a ported barrel on what is essentially an all steel handgun firing 9mm?

Jerry R

Looks weren’t the consideration when making the cylinder with what you call the “horrible looking gap.” The rotating mass of the cylinder and the ammo within is part of the overall trigger pull weight when shooting double action, something JM does a lot. This gun was built more for function than form. If you compete you should be more interested in performance than sheer beauty. It’s a decent enough looking gun, utilizes an existing frame so no new frame tooling necessary, and it has the cylinder length optimized for the cartridge it is intended to fire. This is a gun built for very specific uses and isn’t geared for “everyman”. I can’t wait to get mine when they release them. I’ll routinely beat my buddies with their “beauty queens” just like I do now but with a better, more efficient tool.

Norman Silva

You’re correct Mike. I thought all the idiots were in the Government only.

Gary Laffoon

Sure, make a dedicated frame for a gun that will sell a few hundred examples. Then you would have to sell them for $3500 just to break even.

Don

I like it – that “dorky” looking barrel underlug reminds me of the old Remington single action revolver (another gun before its time) …….. I vote a giant YEA for S&W because every new design proves that S&W is in it for the long run and not just coasting along waiting for better gun times and better gun attitudes, thanks Smith & Wesson!

Greg Tag

I am underwhelmed.

The saving grace is that it is a competition gun, so much silliness can be forgiven, and it is likely fun to shoot, and makes sense for a dedicated 9mm competitor to use . On the other hand, as a weapon, it seems a step backward to fit 8 9mm Parabellums where you could fit 8 .357 Mags.

I suspect that it will not be on the market for very long.

Regards
GKT

http://Www.jessetischauser.com Jesse Tischauser

Rus gun is being built so world champion Jerry Miculek can take full advantage of the new USPSA revolver division rules allowing 8 round revolvers now.

SargeantFlynt

Smith and Wesson’s model 547 9mm is the best k frame revolver they ever made. It was more accurate than it’s k frame counter part in .38 special. I put a full length Bo-mar rib on mine and it would to shoot under 3 inches at 50 yards. The Safariland speed loaders for it finally wore out and they stopped making . No moon clips necessary and positive ejection. Great gun! Last time I talked to S&W and asked them to bring it back they told me “no one is interested in 9mm revolvers!”

I have a model 547 9mm revolver,love it, Mine is a K
Frame. I wish someone would make banana grips for it.Oh! Mine has a square butt. I know they make the
banana grips for the round butt,but not the square
butt,Why Not! I don’t know why,does anyone out there
know? I think they make them for a 3″ barrel but I don’t know if they enterchange. And I think they make them
for the model 940,and again I don’t know if they change out either.SOMEONE OUT THERE PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN
THANKS
LOUIS

Frank

Round and square butt grips are NOT interchangeable among S&W revolvers. I have an early square butt 547 and I love it. My only wish for the 547 would have been a model with adjustable rear sight. But since they were intended as a military/police arm I guess that was omitted. I read somewhere that it was the most expensive revolver S&W ever produced due to the ejection system and the anti set-back device in the frame. Either way, it’s a great little revolver!

Richard Toth

In 1970, from Gemco, I purchased a H&R (929) 9 shoot 22 revolver. for the low price of $42.00. Within the last year my house was broken in and away went the H & R.

LOUIS MALTA

I don’t know why you want to use moon clips. Too much trouble.I don’t understand. Why? Ported,Why?The gun looks ok,until you see the gap,
again why? SOMEONE upstairs,please enlighten me. And can I get one in blued,a deep dark blue like the DAN WESSON blue?I could go on but what’s the use? I probably won’t buy one, oh.and the cost of the gun too.
LOUIS MALTA

Ed

Full moon clips are intended for both speed loading and positive extraction of all brass. If you ever had an empty case get stuck under the extractor in a match…you’d appreciate the full moon positive extraction. The porting can’t hurt and should help when competing with higher power factor rounds. I have a 627 (8 shot) and have been loading .38 Colt Short rounds for use with the full moon clips using a combo of 38 special and 9mm dies to load the .38 Colt Short rounds. What I like about the 929 is that 9mm brass is a lot easier to locate. I used a 547 in NRA Action Pistol competition…very accurate…but without full moon clips…had some trouble extracting fired brass. Still own my favorite – a 940.

LOUIS MALTA

I knew I would forget something,why the rubber grips? Replace them with the factory wooden checkered target grips.Well I guess I could buy whatever grips I wanted to,maybe even banana grips if they were some that fit. I just don’t know.

Gary Laffoon

I just picked up my 986 today, cant wait to shoot it.
Some of the comments out here are so funny. Why do people who have no interest in a product have such an overwhelming urge to comment on it.
Oh yes, I have a 929 on order. Wish smith would make another run of 646 .40S&W revolvers.

DreamMerchant

Realizing the 929 is a competition revolver, I still would like to know if S&W made a speed loader for this model or think it would be feasible?

aealtick

Using the. Moon clips that com with the 629 works better than a speed loader. load 8 cartridges at once and eject 8 shells all at once.

LOUIS MALTA

I don’t know anything about the gun,but if SMITH AND WESSON made it,you have the craftsmanship that we have grown to know,I am aS&W person and Iove the 9mm,caliber.I am older now and have arthritis and I don’t have the strength in my hands like I use to.All the s&w I have are revolvers J,K,and N Frame guns,from 22 22MAG 32 41 MAG 45 LONG COLT .The 9mm s&w are my favorite. I have 2 models 547 as well as 2 of the models 940,Even though I don’t know how the new 9mm will perform I will take a chance with the
gun.I know this post won’t help because I don’t know anything about the gun it self,but the name SMITH AND WESSON, should be all a shooter needs,and in 50years from
now it may turn out to be like the KK
MASTERPIECE,or the 547 I saw on GB or Gun auction had a bid of $1650.00 and the auction was not over yet.And the 940 I saw sell for buy now@ $1300.00.although I paid less for the 4 that I got,2 of each,you know keep one that is NIB with all the paperwork,and the other to shoot.You know you only go around once in this life and it’s only money
I SAY BUY IT (maybe 2) AND BUY THE HIGH PRICE AMMO AND HAVE FUN WITH IT.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME POST A COMENT.

A. E. Altick

You only go around once, but if you do it right once is enough !

aealtick

Yes you only go around once, but if you do it right once is enough !

aea

JayhawkNavy02

Nice Gap. Performance center are the head assemblers. No gunsmith worth his salt would let something that hideous out the door. That frame looks like garbage.

What I would like to see is a compact model, that would be worth owning.

John Konn

where can I get extra moon clips for model 929 Smith

John Szewczyk

Very nice 9mm!! Wanted to purchase one.
However even on the S&W website on the buy now tabs,with 2 dealers it show ”out of stock”,
not available.
Nice revolver,but know one has one on hand for sale that I can find.

Thomas Riggs

Saw one at the range the other day, the guy forgot his tool to take the empty shells out of the moon clip and he said his thumb was sore. Yes you need a tool to put rounds in and out of that moon clip and rounds alone will not fire if not inserted in that clip. Personally i wouldn’t buy a gun where you “need” to insert rounds in a moon clip to fire.

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